IF you plan to take up a summer job, be sure to check for safety precautions at work and also possible employment traps. Information kits outlining such information and advice were distributed by the Labour and Education departments to 100 careers teachers at a seminar last week. The seminar, organised by both departments, was designed to advise summer job-seekers. Cheng Lai-fun, a labour officer from the Local Employment Service, gave a talk on possible employment traps in various trades. Ms Cheng said students should take into account factors such as personal interests, and physical and academic ability in choosing a suitable job. They should be careful when finding jobs through advertisements, especially those that require no skill nor academic qualification but offer a high pay. ''Students should also avoid accepting jobs with immoral implications, and should pay extra care before signing any contract,'' Ms Cheng said. A proper contract of employment should include provisions like the name of employer and employee; date of employment; job nature and duties; working hours and place; amount of wages and payment method; probation period, and termination of contract details. A general understanding of the labour law would be helpful to distinguish the contract of employment from other contracts, such as an agency agreement and a manager's contract. Students should also consider seriously before accepting any demand from the employer in terms of monetary guarantee, or payment of cash either for training purposes or for the purchase of goods, she warned. ''If they have doubts on the employment offered or encounter any problem, they should consult their parents, careers teachers or staff of the Labour Department's Local Employment Service,'' Ms Cheng added. Also speaking at the seminar was Chu Chun-wah, a factory inspector of the department. Mr Chu covered work safety, with emphasis on jobs on construction sites and in restaurants, and jobs that required the handling of dangerous substances and heavy machinery. Construction sites involve a variety of hazardous work, such as working at heights and using heavy machinery. Although the proposed legislation prohibiting people under the age of 18 from working on construction sites is still under consideration, students were strongly advised not to take up jobs on such sites during their summer vacation. Under the industrial safety laws, no person under 18 shall operate any lifting appliance driven by mechanical power or to give signals to the driver of the appliance. The law also prohibits young persons and women from cleaning any dangerous parts of machinery in work places. Other jobs requiring the operation of wood-working machines, the handling of chemicals, toxic substances or fire-related processes were not suitable for summer job-seekers, Mr Chu added. He pointed out that some students liked to take up summer jobs in restaurants. ''However, as students may be required to use sharp knives and cooking utensils on a potentially slippery floor, they should exercise extra care to prevent work injuries.''
